By Kashif-ul-Huda, TwoCircles.net
Mukul Sinha has a PhD in Physics but even before getting his degree he got involved in the rights of the workers in his institute. Years later he completed his law degree and now he works as a lawyer and civil rights activist.
One of the founding member of civil rights organization Jan Sangharsh Manch (JSM), he has been at the forefront of struggle for justice for victims of Gujarat genocide of 2002. Violence erupted in the aftermath of burning of a train near Godhra in Gujarat. The state government of BJP alleged that Godhra train burning was a case of Islamic terrorism and many Muslims of Godhra were charged under draconian POTA law. Mukul Sinha has successfully fought to get the terrorism charges dropped.
A big believer in judicial process, he has participated in Nanavati Commission inquiring into 2002 violence in Gujarat. Though he admits that he doesn’t see much hope from this Commission but he says that it was important to use this platform to raise awareness about issues and culprits.
Combining his science background and activism he along with his wife Nirjhari Sinha analyzed phone calls of BJP & VHP leaders and police officials and due to his groundbreaking work, a sitting Gujarat minister was arrested.
These days he is on a tour of the United States organized by Indian Muslim Council-USA (IMC-USA). TwoCircles.net caught up with him in Cambridge, Massachusetts where he was there to participate in an MIT Workshop on communal violence in India. In this interview to TCN he talked about violence, politics, and struggle for justice.
Video:
Tour dates:
New Jersey: Saturday, April 24, 2010- 6 PM- 10 PM
Shezan Restaurant and Banquet Hall
1673 Oak Tree Road, Edison, NJ 08820
Atlanta, GA: Saturday, May 1, 2010- 2 PM – 6 PM
Al-Farooq Masjid, Atlanta
442 14th St NW, Atlanta, GA 30318
Florida: Sunday, May 2, 2010 Time: 10:30am – 1pm (Brunch will be served)
Mehfil Restaurant
8580 NW 44th Street, Lauderhill, Fl 33351, Ph: (954) 742-3370
California Bay Area: Saturday, May 8, 2010- 12 PM Noon
Chandni Restaurant
5748 Mowry School Rd, Newark, CA 94560
Link:
http://nsm.org.in